Hilton Drops Hampton Inn Lakeville After Hotel Refused Rooms to ICE Agents

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly accused the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville, Minnesota of canceling reservations for ICE and other immigration agents.

DHS posted screenshots of emails showing the property would not house immigration personnel and that bookings were being canceled.

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DHS said the action was part of a coordinated campaign to refuse service to DHS law enforcement, and the episode drew swift corporate and public responses.

Hilton said the Lakeville hotel is independently owned and operated, initially reported that the owner had apologized and was resolving the matter, and then moved to remove the franchise from its systems after assessing the situation.

The hotel's management company, Everpeak Hospitality, apologized and said it would contact affected guests.

Hilton and the franchise operator emphasized that the Lakeville property is independently owned and that the cancellations do not reflect corporate policy.

Hilton said the actions were not company values and that it was investigating.

Associated Press

Everpeak Hospitality called the behavior 'inconsistent with our policy,' apologized, and said it was working to accommodate impacted guests.

DHS officials, however, said they had not been contacted by the owner as Everpeak claimed.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin questioned the management company’s statement that it had 'moved swiftly to address' the issue.

The controversy intensified after a video surfaced showing a front‑desk worker again refusing to host immigration agents.

“Hilton Hotels used a late afternoon X post on Monday to announce the hotel accused of denying rooms to DHS officers is independently owned and has “apologized for the actions of their team”

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Conservative journalist Nick Sortor recorded a late‑night visit in which the employee told him the hotel still would not accept ICE/DHS agents.

Hilton said the video raised serious concerns and removed the Lakeville property from its systems.

Local coverage noted the episode occurred amid protests and a federal Operation Metro Surge that brought additional ICE and Homeland Security agents to the Twin Cities.

The reaction from politicians, law-enforcement advocates and legal observers has been sharp.

Republican Rep. Clay Higgins called the cancellations 'outrageous and deeply disrespectful' and said Hilton should lose federal business accounts if it denied rooms for political reasons.

FOX 26 Houston

The National ICE Council's president called the reported ban discrimination.

Legal scholars warned the refusal could trigger state public-accommodation claims and raise questions about federal procurement or GSA contracts.

DHS's Office of the General Counsel is reviewing whether contract clauses were violated.

Outlets note possible procedural and contractual consequences beyond immediate fallout.

“Share Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined faith leaders to speak on Tuesday about growing concerns over an increasing growing ICE force in Minnesota during the holidays”

FOX 26 Houston

Hilton Worldwide said it was conducting a corporate compliance audit of the Minneapolis property.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

A DHS review could lead to GSA or procurement actions if federal lodging contracts were affected.

Coverage diverges on culpability: several outlets stress the franchise model and say the hotel was independently owned and operated.

DHS framed the emails as evidence of a coordinated refusal in Minneapolis.

These conflicting accounts leave open questions about whether further discipline, suspension of federal accounts, or legal action will follow.